This application is related to patent application Ser. No. 08/277,847.
The present invention is directed generally toward magnetometers and specifically to miniaturized magnetometer devices of the type that can be used in position and orientation sensing applications. When used in position and orientation applications, a magnetometer device is typically attached to or located within the item whose location or orientation is of interest. There is a need for such magnetometer devices wherever magnetic fields must be sensed with a fine resolution. Examples of position and orientation sensing include medical applications for the position and orientation of endoscopes and catheters where a flexible electrical connection of considerable length is needed to provide signals from the magnetometer to external monitoring equipment. In these applications and in many other applications, the available space for a magnetometer device is extremely limited.
Thus a need exists for a miniature magnetometer having an elongated flexible connecting circuit and capable of magnetic field sensing with a high degree of resolution.